New Energy’s March To The Top Goes On

Renewable Energy Sources Exceed EIA Forecasts, Provide More Than 21% Of U.S. Electrical Generation In 2021 As Solar Grows 25.2% And Wind By 12.4%

Ken Bossong, February 28, 2022 (Sun Day)

“Driven by strong solar and wind power growth, electrical generation by renewable energy sources (i.e., also including biomass, geothermal, hydropower) accounted for 21.02% of total U.S. electrical generation in 2021, exceeding U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts…[S]olar (including distributed rooftop systems) increased by 25.23%, making it the nation's fastest growing source of electricity last year. Wind grew 12.37% compared to 2020. Combined, solar and wind grew by 15.96% and accounted for more than one-eighth (13.05%) of U.S. electrical generation (wind - 9.12%, solar - 3.93%)…[G]eothermal posted a gain of 2.19% while electricity generated by wood + other biomass increased by 1.42%....

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…[G]eneration by all non-hydro renewables grew by 14.08%...[Drought-limited] hydropower fell by 8.78%...[but all renewables combined] produced 6.17% more electricity than a year earlier…[Because] electricity generation by all sources increased by 2.86%, renewables' share of the total increased only slightly - from 20.37% in 2020 to 21.02% in 2021…[That] exceeded by more than 5% EIA's forecast of a 20% share for renewables in 2021…[Nuclear power provided] 18.69% of total U.S. generation)…Natural gas remained as the top source of U.S. electrical generation with a 37.82% share but down from 40.12% a year ago. Coal rebounded into second place (with a 21.58% share…EIA now expects renewables' share of U.S. electrical generation to top 22% this year and exceed that of coal while nuclear power's share declines…” click here for more

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